Turkish court: Wikipedia ban defies freedom of speech

With six out of 10 votes, the court rules total ban on online encyclopedia violates freedom of expression

Aylin Dal |26.12.2019

ANKARA

Turkey's Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled by majority that a government-imposed block on Wikipedia violated freedom of expression.

The Wikimedia Foundation, the parent organization of the online encyclopedia, had taken the access ban to the Constitutional Court.

With six out of 10 votes, the court ruled that the total ban on the website violated freedom of expression.

Wikipedia was blocked on April 29, 2017, due to articles and comments that Ankara believes falsely linked Turkey to various terrorist groups, according to the Communications Ministry.

The telecommunications authority -- which is required to take such measures to a court within 24 hours -- made this decision by citing a law that enables it to ban access to websites deemed a threat to national security. A day later, an Ankara court ruled to ban the Wikipedia.